North Berkeley station
| Company type | Rapid transit station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | January 29, 1973 |
| Headquarters | Berkeley, California , United States |
| Products | Bay Area Rapid Transit services (Orange and Red lines) |
North Berkeley station is a subterranean Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) stop situated within Berkeley’s North Berkeley district. Positioned amidst Virginia, Sacramento, Delaware, and Acton Streets, it primarily caters to a residential zone located to the north of University Avenue. The station’s principal entrance is contained within a circular structure set inside a parking area, complemented by elevator access at the Sacramento Street boundary. This station is served by BART’s Orange and Red routes.
History
The location once featured the Key System Westbrae streetcar route ("G"), which traversed diagonally along what is now BART’s alignment. After the streetcar ceased operations in 1941, residential buildings occupied much of the space until their removal in the 1960s to make way for station construction. Initial redevelopment plans for apartment complexes were ultimately discarded, leaving a parking lot surrounding the station. The designation "North Berkeley" was officially adopted by the BART Board in December 1965, with service beginning on January 29, 1973.
Following passage of a 2018 California statute encouraging transit-oriented development, Berkeley and BART have collaborated on plans to transform the surface parking lot into mixed-use residential buildings. Development efforts face limitations due to the station box and tracks beneath the site. A memorandum of understanding endorsing this initiative was ratified by Berkeley City Council in December 2019.
In 2022, BART appointed a development consortium composed of three affordable housing nonprofit organizations alongside a private developer. The project envisions roughly 750 housing units, a childcare facility, 6,500 square feet of retail space, a bicycle station, and public areas that will extend the Ohlone Greenway over the station. Although most existing parking will be replaced by new construction, up to 120 parking spots will remain within a new garage; an additional 80 auxiliary spaces north of Virginia Street will continue unchanged. Construction is projected to commence no sooner than mid-2025. In October 2024, the state granted $25 million dedicated to plaza enhancements and bicycle/pedestrian infrastructure improvements.
Originally, thirteen BART stations—including North Berkeley—lacked faregates at elevator entry points. A project launched in 2020 installed faregates for elevators; North Berkeley’s platform faregate was completed in October 2022.
External links
- Bay Area Rapid Transit stations in Alameda County, California
- Stations on the Orange Line (BART)
- Stations on the Red Line (BART)
- Buildings and structures in Berkeley, California
- Railway stations in the United States opened in 1973
- Railway stations located underground in California
- Transportation in Berkeley, California